Teenage Wasteland
by WunderWolfie
Summary: Harry discovers the depth of his feelings for Hermione. Is H/Hr and will have some Weasley bashing Snape will be portrayed positively.
1. Chapter 1

Teenage Wasteland

Harry Potter sat silent, unmoving as the rain rattled the tent. Despite the noise he could hear his best friend sobbing quietly. He slowly walked over to the bunk where Hermione laid. His hand reached out to touch her but he stopped himself. He said in a low voice, "I'm so sorry I never meant for this to happen. I never meant to hurt you." No response. Perhaps Hermione was already asleep; he forged on saying words he would never say if she was listening, but felt he needed to get off his chest. "Hermione... I... you're my best friend and wish we could just be ourselves and not have the wizarding world on our shoulders. Your the most loyal friend I ever had."

ry woke up to the wail of the teakettle and the first rays of the sun shooting across the horizon. His head felt clearer left like he had just gone from the divination room to the quidditch pitch. As he navigated out of his bunk his foot stepped on something sharp. As waves of pain shot up his leg, he examined what he stepped on. It appeared to some glass container . Harry also noticed a nice smell. Perfume?

As he thought a feminine voice interrupted his reverie. "Harry!" Herminie called "Breakfast is ready." He entered the small kitchen of the tent and saw Hermione calmly making a cup of tea. The ate in relative silence. "Hermione," Harry began "I found something near Ron's bunk." "What was it?" Hermione asked. "I'll show it to you." he said.

As the walked to Ron's bunk Harry noticed how many times Ron had walked out on him... no, them... Ron had also walked out on Hermione often at great emotional cost to her. As soon Hermione entered the room her expression changed completely and look of rage and betrayal replaced the calm face that she had moments before.

"What did Ron do?" Harry asked. Hermione voice was that of a low growl a tone she only used when referring to Malfoy. "The bastard was using Amortenia on me." "You mean he was dosing you with a love potion?", Harry said. The realization sank in. "Harry", Hermione began in a gentle voice, " I think Ginny may have also used Amortenia on you, perhaps even Cho may have done the same .Harry... one of the side effects is that you can't remember specific events about your relationship. Harry can you remember any specific events... Harry can you remember your first kiss?" Harry Harry sat in silence as he realized that all of his love been manufactured in a cauldron.

All of it... yet Hermione had always been there. Harry sat there for some time he didn't want to come to terms of what just happened. His former girlfriend and best friend betrayed him. Harry and Hermione later packed up and disapparated under the cover of darkness.

A/N Ok... chapter 1 finished. Chapter 2 later maybe next week.. can't tell yet. I have midterms coming up and schedule may be bit erratic. Sorry 1st chapter is small typing on phone  
On to the story- what is going to happen next? Harry obviously has feelings for a certain bushy-haired bookworm. He doesn't realize yet though. However, he doesn't want to risk his friendship just yet. Whether Hermione has the same is a different matter...(hint: I'm an H\Hr shipper.) If were assuming Ron's leaving occurred in fall, mid October perhaps, expect feelings to be revealed chapters 4 or 5 around Christmas time. Can't tell how long it's going to be maybe ten minimum.  
Please review and like-I'll read your stories also!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**A/N Some of the readers may have noticed no mention of the horcrux. Harry and Hermione still have it, they are just not wearing it. Why wear a dark object if you can put it in your pocket? **

**On to the story!**

Harry Potter woke up much happier than he was the day before. He silently put on his boots and began to get his jacket when his stomach rumbled, reminding him off his constant hunger. The horcrux felt heavy in his pocket He already felt leaner despite having only been hunting for hocruxes a couple of months. He took his wand out and exited the tent. As he went he glimpsed Hermione sleeping form and it became apparent that she also lost weight.

He wandered around for ten minutes and spotted a small cottage in the distance. While well kempt it appeared abandoned as neither smoke was rising from the chimney nor were there any lights on. He looked closer and saw that he was right. As he entered the cottage he saw signs of struggle. A twisted hunting rifle was on the ground. Casings were strewn around. Blood stained the ground.

He also saw evidence of magical powers being used as objects in the room were damaged in unnatural resources. Death eaters for sure. Delving further he found a well-stocked larder; he took the canned food, but didn't touch anything else. He feared it could have been tampered with. He had rumors that Death Eaters would poison food and drinks and watch muggles die

He left quickly he didn't want to caught in case servants of the Dark Lord came back. He slipped back into the tent to find nothing had changed; Hermione was still sleeping, and breathed a sigh of relief. He set to preparing a meal of stew. In lieu of muggle cooking equipment he used a cooking spell, he had picked from Mrs. Weasley, one of the only good things he had gotten from that family.

As he set the stew on the table he heard Hermione stirring. As she entered the room, she did a double take when she saw the hot soup on the table. "Harry, how did get all this stuff?" As Harry explained, Her expression of disapproval of sneaking out alone changed to one of anxiety when she heard of the muggles grisly fate.

Harry and Hermione began to eat and they discussed possible locations of the sword of Gryffindor. Harry and Hermione later decided to go back to the abandoned cottage. The found a radio and decided that it might be useful so they took it.

Hermione seemed depressed in the days that followed; Harry resolved to due something about it. As Hermione sat on the couch staring into the flames, Harry spoke up , " What's bothering you"

Hermione continued to look into the fire as she spoke, "I just feel manipulated by the Weasley family especially by 2 of its younger members."

"I know how you feel" replied Harry. The wizarding world sees me as a savior. "Yet...you're the only one who's seen me as just plain Harry." Hermione beamed at him and Harry blushed. "_Seize the moment!" _Harry thought to himself. Before his mind keep up with his mouth,

Harry found himself saying, "Would you like to dance with me?"

It was Hermione's turn to blush , as she responded with a smile, "certainly" Despite being the triwizard champion, Harry wasn't the best at dancing. But that hardly mattered

Hermione touched the radio with her wand. It began to play Baba O'Riley by the Who danced Harry wondered if he what would have happened if he had asked Hermione to the Yule Ball in his fourth year. As the songs continued Harry felt closer to Hermione. He felt she truly understood him. As the music began to fade away.,Harry noticed how close he was to Hermione. She started to lean in to him. His heart wanted to do the same. However, his brain to him that this could ruin his relationship with Hermione. At the last possible second he turned his head, so Hermione planted a kiss on his cheek.

As he pulled back he saw happiness in Hermione's eyes, but with a bit of sadness also


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n Sorry this took so long I had midterms then the holidays and it gets so crazy then! Thank you everyone for reviewing it means so much. As makeup for making you guys and gals wait so long I made the chapter extra long! Anyways On to the story and as always- enjoy!**

Chapter 3

The awkwardness lingered for some days Harry and Hermione often caught each other staring at each other. He found this to be both nice and awkward in ways Harry couldn't describe. The radio was useful as it mentioned important wizarding news. The most shocking of the news was two things: Severus Snape committed suicide by jumping off the astronomy tower- his body was not found and the Potter vault at Gringrotts had been seized by a mysterious thief, the only clue- ginger hair. Harry wondered if the goblins were in on it also. Harry boiled with rage at both news items. Snape was after all his tricks and false grandeur was still the one thing he denied the most: a coward. The seizing of the Potter vault angered him in a different Weasley family seemed to take everything so dear to Harry not just his money , but his friend.

One day just after they had pitched the tent again, Harry noticed a cottage of in the distance. It was getting dark and lights were on in the windows. He squinted and saw a figure enter it. He pointed it out to Hermione who suggested looking closer and investigating. "We better bring the invisibility cloak, of course.", she mentioned. As they crept up to cottage he realized that both he and Hermione had grown and that invisibility cloak required both parties to be rather close, which Harry certainly did not mind.

As they peered into the window of the cottage all they saw was an elderly man who appeared to be looking at a photo album. Unusually, he was also wearing sun glasses. "He seems lonely, especially considering how far out the cottage was from civilization." Hermione commented. "I'd hate to be alone like that-why live a solitary existence, especially out here.

"I'd like to have dinner with him." He knew this was foolish that this man could be demented, inebriated, or a death eater in disguise. He felt the same way his parents must have felt: always running, always hiding, never showing themselves. He couldn't skulk in the shadows forever , he wanted to show himself for one night. Wasn't the boy-who-lived, the chosen one, still human? Was he a man or an idol to be worshipped and courted but never to be in the same class as all others. Harry could only think of one person who say him as just "Harry". The question was what Hermione affixed after his name. Was it ",my friend" ", the person who made me leave my family" ",whom I love"

Harry pushed the last thought out of his head. He entered the house. The man looked up and said "ah travelers, come on in." He beckoned for both Harry and Hermione to sit down in a chair. He brought a roast which smelled appetizing. He pulled out an oddly shaped bottle and gestured with it: "Bourbon " he whispered in an almost conspiratorial tone. He took out 3 crystal glasses and poured a generous amount into his own glass, more conservative measurements into the others. Harry sipped the substance and found it to be somewhat pleasing. "So what brings you here?" the old man asked. Harry didn't know how to explain. Luckily, Hermione stepped in, "We're on the run from terrorists who want to kill us." An odd stillness hung in the man seemed unfazed by the story, perhaps the bourbon was already working on his mental faculties. "You think me a fool for reacting so casually to the mention of terrorists, eh?... Terrorists killed the only woman I ever loved." "Beautiful and kind she was, but very headstrong." There were tears in his eyes but Harry sensed anger in his heart. He began to back away from the man knowing that in his inebriated state he could turn angry. The man then became lucid and shouted , "they're back!" Harry's head snapped to the window and saw death eaters approaching. Harry had his wand in his hand and was ready to fire a spell, but Hermione stayed his hand. She motioned to the invisibility cloak. Suddenly the world was aflame and smoke was everywhere. Coughing violently and crawling on their hands and knees Harry and Hermione exited the house. Miraculously the invisibility cloak did not ignite. Flames licked the wooden cabin and a haze of smoke hung in the air. As Harry's thoughts cleared he remembered the old man who was still in the house. He squinted through the smoke and saw a figure standing in the doorway the old man's cloak was alight but he paid it no heed. A compound crossbow was in his hands. As Harry looked back at the death eaters under the invisibility cloak he saw that crossbow bolts had been buried deep into them. The lone survivor of the onslaught, a large death eater fired an odd curse that Harry didn't recognize. The old man fell to the ground and began to convulse. The death eater then turned and disapparated. Shrugging off the invisibility cloak Harry and Hermione hurried to the prone figure. Hermione who had received some informal medi-wizard training over the summer realized that the man was hemorrhaging internally and would soon die. "He is beyond our help Harry... there is nothing I can do." The old man spat out blood and with great almost superhuman effort spoke: ,"don't lose her (at this his hand pointed to Hermione) ... like I lost her. A great shudder passed through his body and his eyes seemed to stare into Harry's. And his whole body changed and seemed to melt like hot wax. What stood before was the dead body of Severus Snape! A silvery substance seemed to leak out, Harry recognized it as pensive and conjured a flask to fill it up. He then in a disbelieving stupor began to bury Severus Snape. When they were finished he didn't leave marker save a couple of sticks due to the fact that he feared death eaters may disturb the grave. He then took Hermione hand and began to walk back to the tent enjoying the simple companionship. Since it was dark he didn't bother with the invisibility cloak. He wondered what life would be like if Voldemort didn't exist.

**flashback **

Hogwarts, third year

"You should really get to sleep Harry" said Hermione, as she poured over her potions' essay. It was Christmas eve. He glanced at his watch it wad nearly ten. "You should talk Hermione!" Harry said, " you're so tired you've written your schedule wrong." Hermione merely grumbled something unintelligible in response. Harry was in a bad mood because he had learned that his parents had been betrayed by their best friend, Sirius Black.

He quickly finished his letter to Ron, who was at the burrow for Christmas. Ron was originally going to stay at Hogwarts, but the animosity between Hermione and him proved too great. Harry stayed at Hogwarts; He would rather have a quiet holiday with Hermione than with the boisterous and overbearing Weasley family. Harry was about to head up to the boys dormitory when Hermione asked if he could talk to her for a minute. This was unusual of Hermione; the was usually more direct about what she wanted to say.

As he approached he saw that Hermione eyes were bloodshot and she looked like she had been crying. Harry walked over slowly maintaining eye contact with Hermione. "Harry",she said in a weak voice, "don't go looking for Sirius Black, please. "Your... your are my only friend." she said quietly. Harry stopped and considered her words. He never knew anyone who cared about him as much as Hermione. Looking into her brown eyes speaking with more confidence than he felt , "I promise, Hermione."

He found that his fatigue left him and he settled down on the couch near the fireplace. Hermione shut her potions textbook and sat down next to him.

They talked for a long while about their life before Hogwarts, and what they thought might do when they were older. Harry learned that Hermione also had a rather unhappy childhood, though not to the same extent as Harry's. Hermione 's parents didn't really care about her and she found solace in books. Her parents almost seemed delighted when she left. Harry said that once he left Hogwarts, he would probably become an Auror. When he mentioned starting a family, Hermione gave him a far-away look It was nearly midnight and they both stood up. Hermione leaned in close to Harry and with a sigh whispered, " Merry Christmas, Harry." She then gave him a kiss on the cheek. As Harry fell asleep on the couch he realized that his best friend had given his best Christmas present already.

** end flashback**


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